Crunchy, sweet holiday goodness

This is one of the best sweet potato dishes I have tried, and a family favorite for Thanksgiving or Christmas. It comes from Gracie Steele of Clintwood, Va., who shared this recipe in The Coalfield Progress' Christmas Gift Guide in 1998. The potatoes are silky and sweet and the topping is nutty and crunchy. It is a great textural change and a delicious holiday treat.

My daughter made this dish while we were in Norfolk for Thanksgiving and it was quickly devoured. She made a second batch a couple days later, with similar results. The recipe calls for pecans (which Hannah doesn't like). You could substitute walnuts or other nuts, or leave them out entirely.

Sweet potato casserole

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar (white or brown)
Dash salt
2 eggs
1/2 stick margarine or butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix ingredients well and pour into a baking pan.

Topping
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or other favorite nuts)
1/2 stick margarine or butter
Mix toppings ingredients until moist and crumbly. Sprinkle on top of sweet potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.